4.18.2006

Jesus Humor

Does one necessarily lose one's sense of humor about Christianity when one becomes more closely identified with the Christian faith?

I didn't used to think so. I'm not opposed to a dose of good-humored irreverence here and there. I am not offended by Jesus Action Figures. I have a t-shirt that says "Jesus Surfs Without a Board." I have a kitschy plastic Jesus nightlight (which actually had a role in a surprisingly tender moment at 4:45 on Easter morning; I was bumbling around in the dark until I turned the Jesus light on, and I thought, "O! Christ is risen!" Not quite Mary Magdalene at the tomb, but still an experience of the resurrection.).

But I just skimmed a handful of blog posts by persons who are not self-avowed practicing Christians, and each of them had somewhat snarky comments about the whole Christ-is-risen thing. And I was, gulp, a little offended.

I thought the mess regarding the cartoons depicting Mohammed was just that - a mess. The press should be free, but people also shouldn't riot over ink. I thought then and I think now that while critical commentary is crucial, it shouldn't be intentionally polemical and intolerant... and that people of all faiths need to develop a sense of humor about their religious convictions.

So I'm a wee bit offended that some people think Christians are stupid for believing in the resurrection, and persistently characterize the Christian faith as fanatical and hypocritical hyper-fundamentalism. Whatever. The resurrection is a ridiculous thing to believe in, and to forget that is to forget just how wonderful God's fierce and abundant love is. Wonderful to the point of ridicule, wonderful to the point of resurrection.

Which is to say that I'm already over it. Sense of humor has been restored (at least until next time).

Besides, who am I to talk? I went to the Fashion District on Good Friday!